Child labor laws ensured Hideo wasn't working too late at his Gym. The building itself was still open - while it was a Gym, there were still a number of social services that ran later - but Hideo himself was generally off duty by the time the sun was going down.

He usually went through a small routine before actually leaving: make sure he signed everything that needed signing, make sure all the battle rooms were cleaned up, go over what the Pokemon he'd left overnight would do.

And at the last step - get teleported home. He didn't actually live in Littleroot.

Yet that routine hit a hitch when one of his Pokemon notified him of someone outside the building, at the front doors. They'd been waiting for some time, as if waiting for someone or something. His Banette was already looking around for anyone else.

Hm.

Time for a small change in routine, then.

The doors opened slowly, a Medicham the first to exit, watching the man. Hideo followed after, standing beside his Pokemon. One might catch a glimpse of a gaggle of Pokemon waiting behind the doorframe, all peering out before the doors came to a close.

"Hey there!" Hideo greeted, raising a hand to wave. "Don't think I've seen you here before!" His eyes were still closed shut as they always were, a small joke to diffuse the tension.

"It's a little late to sign up for a gym challenge. Unless you're waiting to pick someone up?"

Kouji Matsubara

Had Hideo been carrying a mug of tea, this was the point where he would have sipped it. It was uncommon to get unruly visitors, but most of those got filtered out by his employees (whether politely by the humans or forcefully by his Pokemon). At the very least, it only sounded like the guy wanted a challenge.

"Well, we let people from all walks of life challenge the Gym here, hooligan or not. Though I guess terrorists would be off-limits." A small bit of humor to diffuse the tension. "I'd prefer if you just did a normal challenge, so we could set up a room and even get a nice background going. But it's a bit late for that, and I don't think my Pokemon'll be too happy if you go inside, so we can do it out here. There's some outdoor arenas for friendly battlers, right around the Gym."

Though before he led this challenger over, he had to choose his own Pokemon. In case this guy was as trigger-happy as he claimed.

"As for me...my Medicham will be my first mon. And for my second, I think I'll add along my Orbeetle." From out of one of the windows, flew out his Orbeetle, the small bug floating a short distance away from Hideo. Said bug glared at the challenger, a single finger raised up - the closest it could offer to a middle finger with a two-digit hand.

There was at least one other Pokemon looking through the window. And through other windows as well. "So long as we play by the usual battle rules, my other Pokemon won't interfere or interrupt."

With that, he turned to head over to one of the outdoor arenas - though both of his chosen Pokemon kept an eye on the man and his team. "When we're there, I'll even let you get the first move."

Kouji Matsubara

"Challenger first is standard here." He had no regrets giving the man the first move; he'd already redirected the "jumping" into a regular challenge, so he'd stick to the rules of one.

So long as it remained one.

His two Pokemon felt the pressure of the Kommo-o's Leer upon them. The Medicham assumed a defensive posture, while the Orbeetle glared back at the dragon.

It, too, received the closest the Orbeetle could give to a middle finger on a two-digit hand. And that hand went down, a Reflective shield covering itself and the Medicham. It hadn't even waited for an order from Hideo - it already knew what he would've ordered, informing Hideo after the fact

With no objection from the boy, who simply nodded.

Just in time for the Medicham to be struck by the Absol, the Night Slash striking well - as well as it could.

"Get'em back!" Hideo ordered, the Medicham acting before he could speak, a Force Palm aimed straight for the Absol.

Slowly, outside of the arena, some onlookers approached - Pokemon, to be exact. A Banette was one of the first, rising halfway out of the Phantom Force it used to assess the area moments ago. Soon after followed a small, pink Ribombee, who perched itself atop the Banette's head.

They merely watched the battle. For now.

Medicham & Orbeetle affected by Leer
Orbeetle used Reflect
Medicham hit by Night Slash
Medicham used Force Palm on Absol

Kouji Matsubara

It was a question he'd been asked plenty of times - both before and after he'd gained the role. He'd give the same half-honest answer he'd given, barely even taking a moment to deliberate.

"I wanted to help teach people. Not just how to battle, but how to get through tough times. Hoenn's been going through a lot of tough times lately, and I learned a lot of people need help to get through them, even if they only need time to get back on their feet. Being a Champion would've made it harder to do, needing to be everywhere, but a Gym Leader's perfect for making a place where people can be safe. Where they can learn and improve."

The intent wasn't the dishonest part of his answer - rather, that being a Gym Leader hadn't been his goal from the start. He'd wanted to be Champion so long ago, when he first began the circuit. Yet he'd learned he just wasn't fit for the role, that he didn't have the strength to be the guardian Hoenn needed.

But saying he'd settled for being a Gym Leader wouldn't inspire much confidence.

The Psycho Cut came flying at the Medicham - but the attack wouldn't find it. With a cross of Hideo's hands, his Orbeetle swapped places with the Medicham, a timely Ally Switch changing the target to the Orbeetle itself. The Psycho Cut struck the Orbeetle, but it would be clear that not much harm was done.

His Medicham took the chance to act, her fist covered in ice as she leapt ahead, aiming to deliver an Ice Punch to the Kommo-o

's Substitute.

Orbeetle used Ally Switch on Medicham
Orbeetle hit by Psycho Cut
Medicham used Ice Punch on the Kommo-o('s Substitute)

Kouji Matsubara

This guy wasn't the first person to tell Hideo this - that he was better off leaving all the serious work to the adults while he just focused on less important stuff.

"The stuff that keeps happening in Hoenn doesn't care if I'm a kid or not," he answered. "A lotta people get their lives uprooted because of everything going on. I know a lot of people who had to resort to bad stuff because they didn't have anywhere else to go or nobody else to rely on."

And his Gym could serve as that; not just a place to battle, but a place to go to when times were tough, when someone needed help getting back on their feet. "And I know people that got caught up in bad stuff 'cause they had nothing else to turn to."

The Orbeetle was struck by the Absol's Night Slash, pushed back in the air, a Reflective light shimmering around to diminish the attack somewhat.

The Orbeetle was none-too-pleased by this, shouting obscenities at the Absol; incomprehensible to humans, but very comprehensible to the Pokemon watching - Hideo's Galvantula had brought its Joltik children to watch, and was now desperately trying to cover its children's ears.

The Medicham, meanwhile, realized too late that she'd gone to punch the wrong target. Her focus moved to the actual Kommo-o - just in time to watch it let out a Clangorous Soul. Apart from the loud screeching, no harm was done - yet.

The Medicham aimed to stop it, once more going on for an Ice Punch on the Kommo-o.

The Orbeetle, meanwhile, ended its verbal attack with a physical attack: it glowed bright red, letting out concentrated angry-bug-energy at the Absol and the Kommo-o, aiming to strike both with its Struggle Bug.

All the while, Hideo focused on the conversation, letting his Pokemon act on their own.

"But what if my dream now is to help teach people? And I can't just leave everything to other people; what'd I do if danger popped up at my doorstep? Wouldn't make sense to sit around and wait for someone else to handle it!"

Orbeetle hit by Night Slash
Medicham used Ice Punch on Kommo-o
Orbeetle used Bug Buzz Struggle Bug on Absol and Kommo-o

Kouji Matsubara

The Medicham had caught on to the Kommo-o's preparations, her attempt to knock it out quickly falling short. She noticed the quick signal it gave the Absol, and realized whatever was prepped was about to come in hard.

Her eyes glowed pink as a Detect warned her of what was about to come. Her Telepathy was quick to warn Hideo of the noise about to come, the boy covering his ears. It gave her the chance to jump out of the way of the incoming sound waves, evading the attack.

The Orbeetle was less fortunate, unwarned and nowhere near as speedy as Medicham. It got to enjoy the full force of those Clanging Scales, the little bug letting out a screech as it wobbled in the air.

Still in the fight, but just hanging in there. And very unhappy, if the yelling that followed indicated anything.

Though evading that attack didn't leave the Medicham in the clear. A Night Slash came from behind, landing a very heavy hit. It pushed her forward, the Medicham also on her last legs - yet still standing.

Hideo uncovered his ears, already given a quick assessment by his Medicham.

Though his attention was still on talking; he trusted his Pokemon enough to act on their own.

"For someone that tried to jump me, you sure do care a lot about my safety," he said, a smirk on his face. "Buuuut I spent way too much of my life doing nothing and sitting around. I'm not going back to that kind of life. And 'sides, wouldn't it be better to stop 'people like you' from winning in the first place?"

The ornery Orbeetle raised a hand up, aiming to envelop the Kommo-o in Psychic energy and toss it aside.

"But I'll be helping people, whether or not you want me to!"

Medicham used Detect to avoid the Clanging Scales
Orbeetle did not avoid the Clanging Scales
Medicham hit by Night Slash (critical)
Orbeetle used Psychic on Kommo-o

Kouji Matsubara

There was a notable change in Hideo's demeanor, the smile the boy had on his face dropping into a small frown. "Not sure if I wanna ask you to elaborate on that 'battlefield' part," he said, the displeasure in his voice clear. "'Sides, you're here for a Gym Challenge, right? Well, a 'jumping'."

The drawing of the knife didn't get Hideo to budge - he was still on the other side of the arena, and he already knew some of his Pokemon were watching the battlefield, some that were already on the outskirts. They could react fast enough if the guy tried to charge Hideo. One of his Telepathy-possessing Pokemon told him of the mega stone on the knife - probably the main reason it was drawn. "I'll stay right here," he answered.

An obvious provocation was obvious.

The Medicham was ready to make an attack, the Force Palm ready - but that Sucker Punch smacked her in the face. Her stamina failed her as she struggled to stay standing - she clearly wasn't going to be staying the fight.

But not without one last act of defiance; the moment those Clanging Scales started ringing, she ran to intercept, taking the full brunt of the attack. She wasn't standing at all after the attack, Hideo drawing her back into her Pokeball, but she accomplished her objective.

The Orbeetle could do little else but retaliate, another Struggle Bug flying out towards the Absol and Kommo-o, with what little strength the Orbeetle had remaining.

"Well, if people didn't go around trying to jump kids, then I wouldn't really have to fight, now would I?" He folded his arms. "But don't worry, I already know that I might lose things if I keep fighting. But I'd lose them too if I didn't fight, so I'm gonna at least go with the choice that gives me some agency in all this chaos. Gives me a chance to keep other people from losing things too."

Medicham hit by Sucker Punch (after attempting to use Force Palm and getting interrupted)
Medicham tanked the Clanging Scales
Medicham KO'd after her Piccolo impression

Orbeetle used Struggle Bug against the Absol and Kommo-o

Kouji Matsubara